Car Dealer was Driving my car he was to sell! and damaged it! Help!

[AaronC]

My girlfriend was trying to sell her car, and brought it to her local car dealer, where they said they would put it in there lot to sell for her.. Months have gone by, and she didnt hear from the dealer, and recently went to see what was going on.. When she got to the dealer, her car was gone.. It turns out the dealer had taken the car, and was using it as his own private vehicle without permission, when it was suposed to be at the lot, for sale.. Also, while using her vehicle, he got into an accident, and several hundred dollars worth of damage was done to the vehicle..

Now he is telling her she needs to pay to get it repaired, because it is her car.. We arent quite sure what to do.. He shouldnt have even been driving it in the first place, let alone getting into an accident. And if it would have been at the lot, there is a good chance it would have been sold already.. What can we do?

 

[seniorjudge]

You need to sue that idiot for the amount of the damages to the car.

 

[AaronC]

Is there anything we can do about the fact that the dealer was driving her car around himself? it was registered under her name, still had her plates on it, and was insured by her, and the dealer was driving it! She left the car, and the keys there, with the impression he was going to sell it, not use it..

 

[seniorjudge]

Q: Is there anything we can do about the fact that the dealer was driving her car around himself? it was registered under her name, still had her plates on it, and was insured by her, and the dealer was driving it! She left the car, and the keys there, with the impression he was going to sell it, not use it.

A: You need to sue that idiot for the amount of the damages to the car.

 

[Robbie]

Dumb question -- could the dealer be charged with auto theft?

Doesn't seem much different than taking a car from the dealer for a drive an not returning it